Here's everything you need to know about microneedling, a new cosmetic treatment for your skin involving hundreds of tiny needles

If you’ve been looking to improve the health and appearance of your skin without undergoing risky and expensive cosmetic treatments, then you might have already considered using a derma roller to achieve those goals. Microneedling with a derma roller is a new treatment which involves the use of hundreds of small needles on your skin for the treatment of acne scars, stretch marks, wrinkles, and facial rejuvenation. Despite how terrifying that may sound, it’s actually considered a minimally invasive procedure with little to no side effects. [caption id=“attachment_7717151” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption]

How does microneedling work?

Microneedling is medically called collagen induction therapy as it promotes the production of collagen within the body. Collagen is an important protein which helps in maintaining skin, hair, muscles and even gut health. Unfortunately, collagen production starts to decline after 25 years of age. The needles of the derma roller prick stratum corneum (the uppermost layer of the skin) creating small holes while causing minimal damage to the dermis which is the second layer of the skin. The wound caused by the prick triggers the activation of growth factors such as TGF-alpha, TGF-beta, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), which initiate the production of collagen and elastin in the dermis.   The needles also break down the old hardened scar strands and allow the blood vessels to flow through them, eventually reducing the scars.

Who can benefit from derma rolling?

Microneedling with derma roller has gained mass popularity and acceptance as it is a simple, pocket-friendly and effective technique requiring minimal training. It reduces fine lines and deep wrinkles, repairs visible scars and stretch marks, shrinks pores and reverses sun damage and pigmentation. Microneedling has also been helpful for enhanced drug delivery in the treatment of atrophic scars (mostly seen after severe acne), alopecia (autoimmune skin disorder that results in hair loss), actinic keratoses (scaly patches due to sun damage), and pigmentation issues such as melasma.

Which derma roller to use?

A standard derma roller has a 12 cm long handle with a 2 × 2 cm wide drum at one end which is studded with eight rows of 192 fine microneedles. These microneedles are made of ion-etching silicon or stainless steel and then sterilized using gamma radiation. Different derma rollers are used for different areas. For instance, a derma roller with a narrow width of drum is meant for smaller areas such as eyelids and nose whereas a derma roller with 540 needles is used for larger areas like the thighs.   Usually, the microneedles are 0.5 to 3 mm in length and 0.1 to 0.25 mm in diameter but these dimensions may vary from case to case. The length of the needle depends on what the person is getting treated for, like for atrophic scars the needle length is 1.5 mm whereas for burn scars, it is 1 mm and for pigmentation issues, it is 2 mm.

What can go wrong with a derma roller?

Today, everybody has easy access to derma rollers. But very few people know how to them correctly or even which one to use for the task at hand.   For example, needles longer than 1.5 mm should not be used on the face: not only would they cause pain, but also result in bruising of the skin. Longer needle lengths (2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm) should only be used by professionals for more severe cases like treating deep scars and wrinkles, rejuvenation of badly damaged skin. Or they can be used in areas other than the face. There are many other factors as well. Diabetics, people with blood disorders and anyone with active acne or infection shouldn’t use this technique without consulting a doctor.   Therefore, it is advised that microneedling should only be done by a licensed professional in a clean and sterile environment.   Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. For more information, please read our article on   Scars: Signs, Causes & Treatment_._